Abstract Multiple adventitious buds were induced on corms and corm-derived primary calluses of Ixia flexuosa L. cultured on Murashige and Skoog (MS) medium supplemented with 5 or 10 µm BA. Buds developed into shoots, nearly half of which rooted in the absence of an auxin. Root formation was increased to 80% with the addition of 2.5 or 5 µm NAA to the MS medium. Almost two-thirds of the plantlets survived hardening in a mistbed. Thidiazuron at 0.1 or 1.0 mg·liter−1 also induced adventitious buds on corm explants, but these buds were less vigorous than those produced with BA. Chemical names used: N-phenylmethyI)-1H-purin-6-amine (BA); 1-naphthaleneacetic acid (NAA); N-phenyl-N'-1,2,3-thiadiazol-5-ylurea (thidiazuron).